Was the little red dashboard light on while it was running?

I can't be sure. I was checking the oil pressure and ammeter gages but I don't remember noticing if the ignition light was on. It's not easy to see standing outside the car. I'll check it when I get the coolant system sealed back up and can re-fire it.

Looks great!

Usually that light jumps right out at you. If you're really lucky, the light is not on when running and you just have your ammeter leads reversed, so you really have a slight charge, which is normal, and you just think you have a discharge. That's if you're really lucky....;) Keep us posted.

Yes, but standing outside the car it's hidden up under the cowl edge. That thought (reversed leads) crossed my mine (but I don't seem to be very lucky lately). When I get coolant leak fixed and can start it again I'll check the charging with my meter. I recently went through this with my GTX (bad regulator) but the Ford regulator has more leads than a Mopar. Not sure how best to trouble shoot between the alternator and regulator. If something is bad, my suspicion is the regulator. But. hopefully I just need to reverse the meter leads.

Thanks

Just remembered that when I was testing lights and switches out the ammeter was showing a correct discharge so gage leads can't be the problem.:CRY:

Dan--download (if you haven't already) ERA's electrical troubleshooting manual. I learned my voltage regulator had a problem (which was able to be fixed, as it turned out).

After replacing the heater shut off valve I fired things up agian today. Still having a no-charge problem and I think I'm going to have to do some serious tuning on it because it shouldn't have as lopey an idle as it does. It's suppose to be a pretty mild motor. Posed elsewhere on those issues. Additional video below - click on the pictures. I'm pretty pleased with the Spintech mufflers and under car exhast so far.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps5ece7280.jpg

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...psb36f9570.jpg

Mounting seats
 

I rigged up my seats for direct mounting to the floor pan. I'm not using the optional seat tracks in order to lower the seat bottom so I can look through the windshield and not over it. The floor pan is pre-drilled and because the holes are reinforced I wanted to use them for mounting and I didn't want to have to drill a bunch of additional holes in the floors. Another issue is that the floor is drilled for mounting on 12 inch centers but the seat mounting bolts are on 12-1/2 centers.

I bought some 1-1/4 x 3/16 inch metal strap and cut a piece for each side of the seats. Then I drilled holes for bolting to the seat frame and holes to bolt down through the floor - both on the required spacing. I scooted the driver seat back about 1-1/4 inch measured from the front bolt holes and seat mounts. The passenger side seat went back about 3 inches. It was really forward. I countersunk the holes and used flat top, countersunk 1/4 inch bolts for mounting. I used my marginal welding skills and wire welder to tack the bolts going through the floor so I don't have to worry about holding them on top while tightening them. I had some 3/16 inch thick washers left over from something and used them between the seat frame and the strap at the front to tilt the seat back slightly.

All in all it worked out pretty well. I can drill some additional holes if needed and scoot the driver seat back about another 3/4 inch. But, as it is right now I'm going to have to adjust the clutch pedal back some so I can fully depress it without fully extending my leg and stretching. The seat feels solidly mounted. This second photo from the botom is the passenger seat which I had to set back quite aways.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps81d1478a.jpg

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...psc09393b5.jpg

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps5bcbfbc9.jpg

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps24677f7e.jpg

Thanks for posting -i enjoyed looking at the videos and the pics.

I saw this one:
P1010193-2.jpg Photo by dclemans | Photobucket

- are they Avons on the wheels?
- and I also wondered what size tyres are they?

thanks, Kevin

Kevin - no, they are Mickey Thompsons. In order to have clearance for the exhaust through the wheel wells and to keep a more vintage look I downsized one size (actually 2 in front) and went one aspect ratio taller. Fronts are 215 x 70s. Backs are 255 x 60s. I was worried about mounting them on 7-1/2 and 9-1/2 wheels but they end up looking like that's what they belong on.

Thanks

Dan-what was the fix for adjusting floats, sight plugs and bowls as we wrote about?

Chas - I haven't done anything further for right now since after getting the timing and the idle adjusted it seems to be running fine for the moment. I'll find out more when I can get it on the road for a test drive. Long term I have thought about getting a set of proper coded Holleys from one of the FE suppliers to replace these. If I don't do that then I will probably look into replacing the bowls.

I'm following your suggestion (at least sometimes) to get it together and don't sweat some of the small details for now that can be worked out later.

Dan

Thanks Dan - useful information.

Im wishing I had underslungs at the moment - I will never build another car with 4 into 4 sidepipes. Last night I was ready to throw the towel in and put the damn thing up for sale.

I don't understand, are you having trouble getting the primary pipes to fit in to the sidepipes?

Actually my headers for undercar exhaust are two piece (5-piece really) with slip connections. They have been kind of a pain - some of it self-inflicted. After ceramic coating I basically had to sand it all off on the area of slip fit to get them to fit again. Even then I had to give my rubber mallet a workout to get them fully inserted.

Are you still having the problem with charging? I had a bad fuse behind the dash light (fused link) to ignition switch and it drove me crazy until I found the problem. As far as the headers are concerned, keep the primaries loose until the sidepipes are correctly fitted. I used four small plastic wire ties on each side to keep the primary pipes squarely together and fitted the sidepipes without much problem.

Yes - still have the charging problem. I'm going to wait until I can get it out to actually drive it and see if that jolts the voltage regulator into action. I think I will also get a 20 ohm resister as Bob recommended and wire in parallel with the charging light. I don't remember a fuse in that immediate area on mine - have to check.

Dan, Patrick, thanks for your comments.
Im just frustrated with the times I have had to take the headers on and off.
I wont bore you with the detail, but they have been on and off about 4-5 times now. I also had them coated with zircotech ceramic coating, but having fitted one side, had to take 'em off, again, as the coating was too thick for the 4 header pipes to slip into the sidepipes. Ground that off at the ends, fitted drivers side, and now I have discovered that one of the headers is 1/2" too short. Maybe I cut it too short, I dont know. The whole saga has been going on for so long I dont remember what I have or havent done.

My frustration comes from the struggle each time to fit the back 2 header pipes each side of the FE which are very close to the footboxes (2 hours to fit 4 ARP bolts and the gasket). Are there any clever ways to do this? A friend of mine told me to jack the car and work underneath it. I so hate doing this. :CRY: :mad:

You only have two choices, come down from the top through the open hood, or come up from the bottom of the car. Just make sure your car is properly secured with stands so you don't get hurt. There are no "tricks" to getting to the bolts. Having the proper tool helps, though. ERA recommends the "heat and bend" method to fabricate a header bolt tool. Like this:

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...bendwrench.jpg